Kings Choice

Tomatoes naturally contain high amounts of glutamic acid, which provides the well-known umami – or ‘meaty’ taste to dishes. If you regularly make tomato-based dishes such as spaghetti bolognese or chilis, then try adding a bit of ketchup next time. Not only does it give the dish a boost of tomatoey flavor, but the sweetness of the tomatoe sauce cuts through any acidity that might be left over in your dish.

Ingredients

3 Tbs almonds — chopped or flaked
1½ Tbs butter
1 onion — large, finely chopped
1 large red or orange pepper - deseeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic — cloves, finely chopped
1 handful fresh parsley — stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
2 x 400 g king choice tomatoes
2 x 400 g tin chickpeas — drained and rinsed
100 ml stock/bone broth or water (optional)
250 g spinach
to serve — to serve
1 Tbs lemon juice sea salt and black pepper extra virgin olive oil
mixed spices
2 tsp cumin — ground
2 tsp paprika — smoked
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Method:
In a large, deep frying pan, toast the almonds over a medium heat for just under a min until golden, and then set aside. Melt the butter in the hot pan, add the onion and pepper and fry for 6 mins until it starts to soften.

Add the garlic, spices and parsley stalks and fry for 1 min, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning, then add thpurée and cook for another 30 seconds.

Tip the tomatoe sauce into the pan, turn up the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 15 mins, uncovered, to thicken and reduce. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 3 mins with a lid on. If you want the stew to be more soup-like, add the stock.

Turn up the heat, drop in the spinach and cook for 1 min, covered with the lid, then add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Serve each bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil and with the parsley leaves and toasted almonds scattered over.

Weekends are inevitably the busiest shopping days during the holiday season, so, if you want to avoid the crowds, try shopping on weekday evenings.